Pillars Of Sustainable Development Research Articles

СТАЛИЙ РОЗВИТОК ТОРГІВЛІ: ТЕОРЕТИЧНИЙ АСПЕКТ

The article highlights the theoretical aspect of sustainable trade development. It is found that trade development through more rational and efficient use of resources, production growth, increased income and investment leads to economic growth and employment. It is found that the sustainability of domestic trade is reflected primarily in its impact on human development. It is determined that the sustainable development of Ukraine's trade is laid down in the provisions of trade agreements between Ukraine and other countries and unions of countries. The author analyzes the features of the WTO agreement on sustainable trade development. The article analyzes the provisions of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement in the area of trade policy development with regard to sustainable development. It is noted that trade is key to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is found that the main direction of implementation of socio-economic management methods for sustainable trade development is performance management, which enhances the social orientation of management through the effect of activity and creates a system of motivation and incentives for labor. It has been found that trade is also important for social integration, which, along with the economy and the environment, is one of the three pillars of sustainable development. In Ukraine, environmental and sustainable development issues are poorly integrated into the process of formulating and implementing public policy, including trade policy. Therefore, environmental protection and sustainable development should be clearly enshrined in trade policy. The presence of environmental factors in a trade agreement cannot depend solely on the policies and approaches of the other party.

Bioeconomy, Planning and Sustainable Development: A Theoretical Framework

The bioeconomy concept first emerged in the 1990s in the context of the sustainable development of European economies but in specific respect to the disciplines of biology and biotechnology. This has arguably obscured the concept’s theoretical development since the biotechnology term has a limited field of application. This has led to diverse perspectives on what the bioeconomy means and how it should function. This paper aims to contribute to the theoretical development of the bioeconomy concept by interpreting the concept as a component of sustainable development, and as a spatial planning concept. This is important since such theoretical development aims to address the complex challenges facing bioeconomy transition and the need to combat climate change in a socially equitable manner. It does this by interpreting the bioeconomy through the lens of the environmental, economic, social and governance pillars of sustainable development, which is important in understanding how bioeconomy systems can most effectively function in the transition towards a renewable-based economy.

Integrated sustainability perspective and spillover effects of social, environment and economic pillars: A case study using SEY model

This study examines the integrated sustainability perspective by mapping the spillover effects among sustainable development pillars including social, environment, and economy. To this end, it estimates the sustainability elasticities between a developing country, Iran, and six global regions including 1- North America, 2- Latin America and Caribbean, 3- European Union, 4- Sub-Saharan Africa, 5- Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and 6- East Asia and Pacific. This estimation uses the SEY model, an econometric package involving simultaneous equations systems, Vector Autoregressive models (VAR), and Granger causality within 1971–2019. This research differs from the previous studies by exploring the sustainability spillovers not only spatially but also across various pillars of sustainable development. The results show that the pillars of sustainable development have significant and positive elasticities. This finding accepts the integrated sustainability perspective since the pillars of sustainable development indicate considerable and synergistic effects from both spatial and contextual outlooks. In this way, the findings support globalization, openness, and flow-based governance, consistent with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions) and 17 (Partnerships for the goals). Therefore, policymakers should strengthen the globalization and openness by establishing and promoting international agreements, global organizations, and inclusive frameworks not only in trade, finance, and economy but also in cultural, social, and political affairs.

Sustainable Construction in post-industrial Ursus district in Warsaw: Biologically Active Areas on Roofs and Underground Garages

Urbanization leads to the expansion of urban areas and increased population density, which has a negative impact on natural resources, including green spaces. To address these environmental challenges, various green measures and sustainable development practices offer environmental, economic and societal benefits. This article provides an overview of different types of green roofs, discusses their advantages and disadvantages, and outlines current legislation on biologically active areas in new residential developments. A residential project in the Ursus district of Warsaw was used as a case study to compare intensive and extensive green roofs. The project involved the installation of vegetation on the roof of an underground garage and later on the roof of the building, with detailed descriptions of the roof layers and vegetation used. One experiment examined seasonal variations in water runoff from green roofs. Three test sites simulated different seasons, with substrates in containers and vegetation watered twice daily. Results showed that spring, with temperatures around 15°C, provided optimal conditions for green roof establishment, while winter posed challenges due to frost. Both intensive and extensive green roofs have positive environmental, social and economic impacts, supporting the pillars of sustainable development. Examples of global green infrastructure further illustrate these benefits.

The Role of Small Industries in Achieving Sustainable Development in Qassim Region (KSA)

Small industries are one of the most important pillars of sustainable development. Accordingly, many governments have supported the establishment and growth of small industries. In this respect, Saudi Arabia has taken great steps ahead to ensure the spread and growth of this important economic sector. This study sought to know the role of small industries in achieving sustainable development in Qassim (KSA). It used the historical, inductive and spatial analysis approaches. The population included all small industries in Qassim, and this study was applied to the entire study population, which resulted in 112 small industries. The findings revealed that small industries in Qassim have achieved sustainable economic and environmental development, yet they have failed to achieve sustainable social development. Thus, this study recommends that small industries in Qassim should increase the rate of national workforce so as to achieve sustainable social development.

Contribution of palm oil and soybean oil to sustainable development goals

Abstract Palm oil is the most consumed vegetable oil in the world, followed by soybean oil. The environmental, social, and economic impacts of vegetable oils have always been a matter of much debate despite their importance in food security and use in a wide array of products. Regardless of the criticism, vegetable oils play a central role in global trade, economic stability, food security, employment, and livelihoods of smallholder farmers globally. Recent disruptions in the worldwide supply caused by weather issues, armed conflict, supply chain disruptions, and labour shortages, which resulted in shortages and higher prices of vegetable oils, have reemphasized their importance. This paper attempts to quantify the contribution of the two most consumed vegetable oils to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using 12 selected indicators. These selected indicators cover the three pillars of sustainable development, i.e., economic, environmental, and social. These are namely – Protein supply, saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, land use, GHG emissions, contribution to GDP, jobs creation, productivity, water footprint, use of pesticides, fertilizers and food supply. These indicators are associated with 9 SDG goals. The study aims to analyze the complex web of interactions and effects of two primary vegetable oil crops on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights significant data deficiencies related to their impacts on specific SDGs, notably 13 and 15 (Climate Action & Life on Land), indicating that both the environmental and social consequences of the vegetable oils sector are still inadequately comprehended.

ROMANIAN STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS REGARDING SUSTAINABILITY. TESTING AN ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT

Universities’ role in promoting sustainability and the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is increasingly highlighted in the recent years. The high number of academic papers published in this field stands as proof of the attention received by these subjects. The integration of sustainability in education implies the transmission of principles, values and practices in teaching-learning activities, research and in institutional operations. While studies focus on the type of educational and extracurricular actions that universities may promote in order to develop more sustainability aware students, less attention is devoted to the actual impact of these practices. The Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) approach starts with the assessment of the current state: what is being done in universities and what is the level of sustainability awareness among the main actors, mainly students. Having a concrete picture regarding the students' level of sustainability literacy, we can identify opportunities to develop new implementation practices that address the sustainability issue within higher education. Currently, there is no consensus over a tool to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes as well as behaviors of students regarding sustainability and the SDGs. Nevertheless, efforts were made in this line of research. Our study focuses on the methodologies to assess these aspects. Based on previously used tools, we developed and tested a questionnaire on Romanian student population. The tested scales for sustainability knowledge, attitudes and behaviors highlight the different pillars of sustainable development, namely: social, economic and environmental, revealing that more focus is given to the latter.

Strategies of Automated Machine Learning for Energy Sustainability in Green Artificial Intelligence

Automated machine learning (AutoML) is recognized for its efficiency in facilitating model development due to its ability to perform tasks autonomously, without constant human intervention. AutoML automates the development and optimization of machine learning models, leading to high energy consumption due to the large amount of calculations involved. Hyperparameter optimization algorithms, central to AutoML, can significantly impact its carbon footprint. This work introduces and investigates energy efficiency metrics for advanced hyperparameter optimization algorithms within AutoML. These metrics enable the evaluation and optimization of an algorithm’s energy consumption, considering accuracy, sustainability, and reduced environmental impact. The experimentation demonstrates the application of Green AI principles to AutoML hyperparameter optimization algorithms. It assesses the current sustainability of AutoML practices and proposes strategies to make them more environmentally friendly. The findings indicate a reduction of 28.7% in CO2e emissions when implementing the Green AI strategy, compared to the Red AI strategy. This improvement in sustainability is achieved with a minimal decrease of 0.51% in validation accuracy. This study emphasizes the importance of continuing to investigate sustainability throughout the life cycle of AI, aligning with the three fundamental pillars of sustainable development.

Social Work Students’ Attitudes Towards Pillars of Sustainable Development: the Case of the University of Shkodra, Albania

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure the attitudes toward sustainable development among students enrolled in the Bachelor's program in Social Work and to explore the relationship between students' course of study, and their attitudes towards the pillars of sustainable development. Method: This research is a mixed-methods study, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative descriptive approaches. The participants were recruited using a purposive sampling method. The population for the study comprised 104 students in the Bachelor's program in Social Work. It is used ’’Attitudes toward Sustainable Development Scale’’ (ASDS) developed by Biasutti & Frate (2017). Open and closed questions were also incorporated. The data obtained were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The analysis encompassed both descriptive and inferential statistics. A thematic analysis was also conducted. Results and Conclusion: The study concludes that students’ attitudes toward the environment, economy, society, and education components are positive, with a particular emphasis on their attitudes toward society and education. In general, students express a desire to acquire additional knowledge in this field throughout their university education. Research Implications: The study highlights the need to enhance social work education to strengthen students' commitment to sustainable development. Although students have a basic understanding of sustainability, they require more in-depth education. Integrating specialized sustainability topics into the curriculum will better prepare them for professional roles. This approach ensures future social workers can effectively advance sustainable development goals. Originality/Value: The originality of this paper lies in its dual quantitative and qualitative analysis of social work students' attitudes towards sustainable development. It provides valuable insights into the necessity of integrating specialized sustainability education within social work programs. Consequently, it offers a strategic approach to better prepare future social workers to effectively advance sustainable development goals in their professional roles.

Sztuczna inteligencja w naukowym i technologicznym paradygmacie gospodarki światowej

The article examines the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies on global sustainable development. Artificial intelligence affects all three pillars of sustainable development: economic, social, and environmental. Based on the generalization of academic works and authoritative expert assessments, it is shown that this impact is ambiguous. By increasing technological capabilities and enhancing the efficiency of business, public administration, and the provision of administrative and social services, AI creates a number of socio-economic problems, primarily in the labor market, when hundreds of professions are discredited and may disappear. It has been confirmed that almost all sectors of the economy, including education and medicine, are subject to the large-scale impact of AI. AI is able to optimize the use of resources and increase energy efficiency, reducing waste, thus affecting the environmental pillar of sustainable development. The purpose of the article is a systematic study of the intellectual and technological landscape of the global economy with a cross-country analysis of its key indicators using the Kohonen algorithm. The author has positioned artificial intelligence in the technological paradigm of the twenty-first century. If scientific progress in materials science, energy, and mathematical computing led to the digital transformation with the emergence of Industry 4.0, then in synergy with bio- and quantum technologies, AI will form Industry 5.0, i.e., essentially a smart economy, through a technological explosion. To recreate the current global intellectual and technological landscape, the study used the Kohonen algorithm with the Deductor Studio package to analyze 128 countries by 5 indicators. The modeling allowed us to group them into 5 clusters, which makes a real comparative analysis possible. Similar modeling with the implementation of the AI indicator (number of robots per 10,000 population) for 18 countries allowed them to be grouped into 3 clusters according to the level of readiness of governments and society to interact with AI.

Slums effect on urban sustainability: Suggested planning mechanisms for development

Slums are considered one of the largest problems that threaten our urban environment, and their negative impact is exacerbated by the passage of time without a radical solution. This research investigated measures that are successful in achieving sustainable urban development within slums or surrounding urban areas. Reducing the negative aspects accompanying the traditional remedies for this phenomenon, which Iraq is currently suffering from, has become a widespread trend in most Iraqi cities. As a result, there emerged belts surrounding urban areas, causing severe repercussions, some of which can be addressed. However, most problems are challenging to address because they affect the urban structure. In Iraqi cities, slums are a feature of the city’s transformation phase, distorting their essence. This phenomenon directly and indirectly affects sustainable urban development by conflicting with one of the most important pillars of sustainable development: not to pass on problems to future generations. Over the past decade, our cities have been formed with slums being a large part of their structure. This poses significant challenges for future generations, which will be difficult to solve unless we proactively address them with effective solutions to mitigate their impact. After reviewing various remedies for this problem, it was found that the proposed treatments were unsuitable for the Iraqi situation. The research proposes the idea of exchange (land versus time). When comparing this strategy with the rest of the treatments, it has been found to be the best solution for slums in Iraq, meeting the requirements of sustainable urban development.

ANALYSIS OF THE ABBOTT-FIRESTONE CURVE ON A DIAMOND-BURNISHED SURFACE

In the research we provide a brief overview of the context of the topic, starting from the issues of energy efficiency and environmental awareness and sustainable development, through the positive properties of alternative forms of processing such as diamond burnishing, to the examination of the surface finish, which plays a key role in the relationship between surface quality and diamond burnishing. In the first chapter of this paper, the science of sustainable development, industrial ecology and its different systems models are presented, leading to the three pillars of sustainable development. In the same chapter, we touch on the relationship between energy- and eco-efficiency, their characteristics, recent research results and impacts. We present the dimensions and material quality of the test piece on which the tests were carried out. This will be followed by a description of the technological characteristics of the turning and diamond-burnishing processes. The characteristics and usefulness of the Abbott-Firestone curve are listed, and the improvement factors and K-coefficients are calculated. In the third section, experimental results are presented by examining the data of the Abbott-Firestone surface curves, which are presented using both the improvement factors and the K-coefficients to draw conclusions by examining the different technological parameters. We conclude our study by summarizing the results of our research.

Sustainability Report of Portuguese Municipalities: The Three Pillars of Sustainable Development

AbstractStudies regarding the economic, social, and environmental impacts of sustainable policies and practices in the public sector are scarce. This is an important gap, as the public sector is oftentimes one of the largest, if not the largest, employer in a region or a country. The current study characterizes the sustainability reporting of the Portuguese municipalities in terms of their most recent sustainability report published online, aiming to better understand the pillars of sustainability. The research is based on secondary data publicly available. Results show that only 28 municipalities (out of 308) published a sustainability report, and that most information are focused on showing a balance between environmental and economic data; the results also show that there is a lack of social information, and that only a few reports show an alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Towards sustainable development: Assessing social sustainability of Australian aged care system

AbstractThe importance of social sustainability, one of the three pillars of sustainable development, is increasingly recognised. Its implementation in the aged care system enhances stakeholders' quality of life and supports sustainable societal development. However, there is limited global research on social sustainability in aged care. This study aims to assess the overall social sustainability of the Australian aged care system and propose measures for its improvement. A conceptual framework was developed and applied to analyse the Final Report: Care, Dignity and Respect by the Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. The findings reveal that Australia's aged care system demonstrates significant deficiencies in social sustainability, with unequal access to care, services and facilities, and inadequate health and comfort for the elderly and their families. Employees contend with issues of unfair employment, insufficient compensation, unhealthy work environments, and inadequate education and training. Several measures are proposed to enhance social sustainability. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of social sustainability in the aged care system within a Western context. It enhances our understanding of the components of social sustainability in aged care, assesses its current status, identifies existing challenges, and provides possible directions for improvement. The insights from Australia's experience and potential solutions could inspire other countries to recognise the importance of social sustainability and reform their aged care systems towards sustainable development.

Financial development and sustainable development: A review of literature

AbstractIn the contemporary world, the sustainability of the economic system and its related issues are of major concern for both policy makers and practitioners. The financial sector's role in this context has gained significant attention over the past decades. Although theoretical studies are on the rise, few scholars consolidate both theory and practice. This study addresses this gap through comprehensive bibliometric analysis, mapping the research landscape in the finance‐sustainability field, and encompassing both optimistic and skeptical perspectives. It reviews and synthesizes key theoretical and empirical literature focusing on most recent studies. Specifically, it emphasizes broader aspects of financial development—depth, access, efficiency, and stability—in critically analyzing the economic, environmental, and social pillars of sustainable development, which are distinct yet highly interconnected. It further provides a detailed analysis of sustainable development theories, highlighting their shortcomings and future prospects. Particularly, this study identifies different dimensions, significant factors, and important indicators of sustainability which are vital for achieving and understanding long‐term sustainable development. Some practical implications are also discussed.

FINANCE OF BIODIVERSITY

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted at the UN General Assembly in New York in 2015, then implemented by the European Union, respectively by Romania (through Romania’s Sustainable Development Strategy 2030), is a historic document, through its 17 goals, which promotes a sustainable future for all citizens. Structured on the three pillars of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – it highlights one of the priorities of global sustainable development and a major concern of our time – environmental protection. Two of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda – life on land and life in water – are found in the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. This strategy is the cornerstone of nature protection in the EU, a key element of the European Green Deal. Biodiversity is disappearing at an unprecedented rate, with biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse among the most important threats that humanity will face in the next decade. In this context, the EU member states must establish a series of commitments, objectives and appropriate specific measures to preserve the environment, substantially increase the allocation of financial resources necessary to achieve these objectives, so as to stop the loss of biodiversity. The objective of this approach is to highlight some aspects related to private and public financing for the protection of the environment and of biodiversity in Romania, based on statistical data. Evaluating public data sources, national concerns regarding the protection of the environment and biodiversity are highlighted, through specific indicators: national expenditures and investments for the protection of the environment, of biodiversity respectively, by categories of environmental services producers, by environmental domains, at European and national level.

Trust as a determinant of green finance through information sharing and technological penetration: Integrating the moderation of governance for sustainable growth

This study makes the first attempt to evaluate trust as a determinant of green finance as well as the collective effect of trust and green finance on the pillars of sustainable development. It further explores two parallel mediators (information sharing and technological penetration) and the moderation role of good governance in this relationship. The empirical evidence is based on Hayes's process analysis and the following findings were established: (1) Trust has a positive impact on green finance both directly and indirectly through technological penetration; (2) Good governance has a strengthening influence on the link between trust and green finance, particularly when trust levels are low; and (3) Trust and green finance collectively foster sustainable development. Thus, our study emphasizes the need to source funds in a manner that is transparent and digitally accessible. Overall, the result provides empirical support for the need for trustworthy collaborations and funding to drive sustainable development. An important policy implication is to reset the minimum information coverage and technological penetration levels to at least 6.86% and 7.54%, respectively.

Approaching road design from a sustainability perspective

The construction industry began emphasizing the three major pillars of sustainable development after the 1987 Brundtland Report. Sustainable design methodologies focus on life-cycle costs and the associated impacts of construction, operation, and maintenance. Maintaining road infrastructure accounts for a significant portion of the development budget owing to recurring costs, construction, and material extraction, while also resulting in other difficulties for the society. Poor road quality induce increased cost of living and degraded quality of life. Owing to front-end costs, road owners are typically motivated to pursue designs focused on the project’s initial cost. This is primarily attributable to a lack of understanding of sustainable development parameters. Life cycle cost attempts to quantify the environmental costs of sustainable construction. However, societal factors have been generally ignored. Currently, road section design is open to the designers’ choice of conventional unreinforced sections or a wide variety of planar and three-dimensional geosynthetic reinforcements. This study defined quantitative and scaled qualitative measures for designing road infrastructure using a sustainable approach. The methodology was explained using a full-scale real-life road project.

Recycling of Egyptian Shammi Corn Stalks for Maintaining Sustainable Cement Industry: Scoring on Sustainable Development Goals

This study focuses on recycling Shammi corn stalks in the cement industries, further avoiding air and soil pollution caused by their improper disposal. This crop residue was thermally treated at 700 °C for 2 h under an oxygen-rich environment to produce Shammi corn stalk ash (SCSA). This SCSA was used as a cement replacement material (2–10%, w/w), whereas the control sample included only cement. The compressive strength values for the 4% (w/w) replacement ratio at 2-, 7-, and 28-day ages were greater than those for the control by 26.5%, 15.8%, and 11.4%, respectively. This 4% (w/w) also maintained a better flexural strength than other mixtures, with proper initial and final setting times (135 and 190 min), workability (18.5 cm), and water consistency (27.5%). These mechanical/physical properties were integrated with socio-enviro-economic data collected from experts through a pairwise comparison questionnaire, forming the inputs of a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model. Recycling SCSA in the cement-manufacturing process attained positive scores in the achievement of the three pillars of sustainable development, revealing an overall score greater than the control. Hence, the study outcomes could be essential in developing green concrete, cement blocks, and mortar, based on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) agenda.

Energy consumption baseline for public schools in the West Bank-Palestine

Schools play a significant role in social development which is one of the three major pillars of sustainable development. Schools are also a hub to promote sustainable practices, and hence, it is imperative to measure the actual energy performance of school buildings. This research was designed to quantify the actual energy consumption in public school buildings in the West Bank in Palestine to establish a baseline for energy consumption in public school buildings. Methodologically, the historical energy performance of a representative random sample consisting of 103 schools in the West Bank was statistically analysed. The results show that the average annual energy consumption in public school buildings is 10,368 kWh, while the annual energy use intensity is around 8.35 kWh/m2/year, and 35.44 kWh/student/year. The results presented in this research are not surprisingly low due to the fact that energy consumption in school buildings is heavily determined by heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems which often do not exist in public school buildings in the West Bank. This research is the first to provide empirical statistical evidence about the actual amount of energy consumed in public school buildings in the West Bank, as well as it is the first to present a baseline energy consumption for public schools. The results presented in this research can be used as an industry benchmark by policy and decision-makers to assess green schools’ performance which, besides reducing the negative impacts on the environment, have the potential to improve health, productivity and, education environment.